Rummy

About Rummy

Straight rummy is the root of the whole rummy family, played two-handed against Widow Hale: draw from the stock or take the top of the pile, meld your sets and runs on the table, lay off on anything already down, and discard to end the turn. Go out first and the pips left in her hand are yours. First to one hundred. Play solo, or take a seat at a live, rated table. Free in your browser, no ads, no sign-up.

How to play

Ten cards each; one card turns to start the pile and the rest sleep as the stock. On your turn draw from the stock or take the top of the pile, then meld what you can — three or four of a rank, or three or more of a suit in order, aces low — lay off single cards on any meld on the table, and discard to finish. You may never discard the very card you took from the pile, and everything you take from it is public knowledge. Going out pays the pips left in the far hand; melding your whole hand in one turn with nothing down before is going rummy, and pays double.

Controls

• Tap the stock or the pileDraw
• Tap cards to selectThen meld, lay off, or discard

Tips

Take the pile only when the card goes straight to the table: every pick is a confession she will play against you. Shed your heavy pips early, keep pairs and run-ends that have live outs, and watch her ledger under the pile — a card that sits next to what she holds is a card to keep out of her reach.